Sarah Clark, the second-grader, up at five in the morning to wail on the family’s living room piano, is all grown up and is on the eve of releasing her first album. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Sarah play in Toronto and she sounds so much beyond her years, pulling from folk and pop influences. She sings with intensity and purpose, showcasing her talents for all of keys, vocals, and guitar.

Years ago, a bunch of friends and I went to the Highland Games in Fergus Ontario. It was good to romp around and get sort of rowdy. I’d worked an entire night shift of twelve hours before the idea even popped into my head that I’d like to go with them, so I was pretty exhausted, and I think I agreed to go on the condition that I’d drive there and back so that I could theoretically decide to leave if I wanted to. Bagpipes and kilts a-plenty and miles and miles away from home, plopped in the middle of a field on their lawn chairs in their tilly hats… were my grandparents.

I went on vacation. It was nice. We went to the Science Centre and Casa Loma. I am now old enough that I no longer think that it’s just some big old castle. The rest of the week consisted of going out for dinner several times, hanging out with family a whole bunch, and catching up with everyone from as far as Manitoba and Louisiana and everywhere in between. It was great.

A ladybug I saw at Casa Loma. I thought he was nice so I took a photo.

I got him last summer, and he's been sitting on my computer monitor ever since... For some reason, I took him outside today, and took some photos. Cute little dude, I think. I really just wanted to play with the macro focus on my lens, and the fish tank just wasn't cutting it any longer.